Food stamp program is in need of tweaking

Before you criticize the tone of today's column, let me state without reservation that no child should be hungry in this great nation and every possible effort under the sun should be employed to ensure that hunger is not an issue in this country.

But maybe our approach is less than successful.

A new report out this week shows that summer meals were provided to over 37,000 low income children in Missouri last summer and that number is likely to reach 50,000 this summer.

The taxpayer-funded free food program is designed like the school meal programs to provide a nutritious meal for youngsters during the school break this summer.

Nationally, over 3 million kids are fed meals through the program.

My question is this: With the massive increase in the federal food stamp program in recent years, why are that many youngsters still in need of food supplements during the summer?

There are but two possible answers.

First, the federal food stamp program is inadequate to provide the food needs for these families and they must have meals supplemented during the summer.

Or second, food stamp recipients far too often make poor choices in their food purchases and the federal allotment will not stretch to meet their needs.

Until we can accurately answer this question, we'll continue to pour money into a program that may not be working.

I cannot personally give an accurate answer to the question.

But this much I do know.

If the current food stamp program - assuming good choices are being made - is insufficient, then by all means, let's increase funding and assure that no child goes hungry in this nation of plenty.

If we are underfunding the food stamp program then I would be the first to get onboard and argue for additional funding.

But if the food gap is the result of poor choices on food purchases or outright food stamp fraud, then we need to overhaul the program and arrive at a new policy that will address those poor choices and get food into the bellies of those kids in need.

I know enough to recognize that throwing more money into a program with no improvement in results is a flawed plan.

And though it's obviously the parents at fault if poor choices are made, it's the children who suffer.

As a nation, we cannot and must not allow this to continue.

I fully recognize the need and importance of a federal plan to assure that all children have available ample food on their tables.

But perhaps the current policy needs to be tweaked to give assurance to taxpayers that their hard-earned funds are going for their intended purpose.

Reducing fraud and abuse while increasing food for kids seems like a plan.